Christina Grimmie's family pay tribute to singer: 'She will live on in our hearts forever'
The former Voice contestant was fatally shot almost a month ago
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Your support makes all the difference.Christina Grimmie’s family have paid tribute to the singer nearly a month after her tragic death and have said she will forever live on in their hearts.
The 22-year-old, who was a former contestant on The Voice, was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando, Florida on Friday 10 June when an assailant opened fire on her and then shot and killed himself. The singer was taken to hospital in critical condition but died from injuries.
Her brother Marcus was by Grimmie's side when she was fatally shot. Orlando police said Marcus immediately tackled the killer and commended his actions as “heroic”, saying he “definitely could have prevented future loss of life there”. Approximately 120 people were inside the venue at the time of her death.
“The outpouring of love and generosity that has been displayed to our family throughout these last few weeks has far exceeded anything we could have ever imagined,” Marcus and Grimmie’s parents said in a statement sent to People magazine.
“As we have always known, Christina's life was so very special, not only to us, but to everyone she touched with her joyful heart, beautiful voice and love for life and the Lord.”
“Words cannot express what the many memorials, donations and tributes shared by Christina's fans and those in the media and entertainment industry mean to us. She will live on in our hearts forever. We will take our time in determining the best ways to honour Christina moving forward."
Grimmie’s killer, Kevin James Loibl, was from St Petersburg, Florida and travelled across the state to target Grimmie, according to Orlando Police. Loibl had been carrying two guns, two loaded magazines and a hunting knife on his person during the shooting.
Since news of her death emerged, tributes for Grimmie have poured in from fellow musicians and fans around the world.
The singer amassed a following of millions after uploading her performances to her YouTube channel from the age of 15. Most recently, Grimmie appeared on The Voice's sixth season in 2014 and later began performing with punk rock band Before You Exit. She had been performing with the band before she was tragically killed.
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